Centrifugal separators



Oct. 14, 1958 H. KRONSTAD 2,856,072

CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATORS Filed May 4, 1955 INVENTOR 7 l v HAAVARDKRO'NSTAD ATTORNEY Unite This invention relates to centrifugalseparators and more particularly to a separator for separating courseand fine materials from a slurry in a continuous and expeditious manner.

It is an object of the invention to provide a casing having a'dischargeopening at its lower end through which a slurry is caused to pass underthe influence of centrifugal force, the casing having one end of asiphon tube disposed axially therein above the discharge opening adaptedto draw-off the fine material from the slurry and convey the finematerial from the casing.

A further object of the invention resides in feeding the slurry to thecasing through a rotatable pipe, discharging the slurry by centrifugalforce against the walls of the casing and siphoning the fines from theslurry through a rotatable siphon tube disposed axially of the feedpipe.

Another object of the invention resides in providing a separator whichis simple and durable in construction, reliable and efiicient inoperation and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of the separator,

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 22 of Fig. 1, and,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the impeller.

Referring to the drawing wherein for the purpose of illustration apreferred embodiment of the invention is shown the numeral 5 denotes astationary casing in the form of a truncated cone supported in anupright position by a suitable bracket 6 attached to a support 7. At thelower discharge end of the casing is a flow control valve 8 thatcontrols the flow of material from the casing to a discharge pipe 9. Aclosure plate 10 covers the upper end of the casing having a centralopening 11 to receive the lower end of a rotatable feed pipe 12supported, at spaced apart intervals, by suitable rotary bearings 13. Adrive pulley 14 mounted on the pipe is driven by a belt connected with asuitable power means to rotate the pipe. The upper end of pipe 12receives the lower end of a stationary T-shape pipe fitting 15 supportedby a bracket 15', the lateral port 16 of the fitting being connected tothe feed line for delivering the slurry to the separator. The short end17 of a siphon tube 18 extends axially of the pipe 12 and fitting 15with its lower end disposed within the upper end of the casing 5. Theend 17 is rotatably supported by a rotary bearing 18 in the upper end ofthe fitting 15, and at its upper end is connected by a rotary bearing 19to an elbow fitting 20 that connects the short end to the horizontalportion 21 of the tube. The long end 22 of the siphon tube is connectedby an elbow fitting 23 to the opposite end of the horizontal portion 21and extends downwardly below the lower end of the short end 17 to conveythe fine material drawn from the casing 5 by the siphon. Attached to thelower ends of feed pipe j ates Patent 2,856,072 Patented Oct. 14,1958

12 and tube 17 is an impeller 24 having an upper plate 25 threadedlymounted, as at 26, on the lower end of pipe 12 and a lower plate 27threadedly mounted, as at 28, on tube 17 above its lower end. Thediameter of plate 25 is larger than the diameter of plate 27 and formedintegral with plate 25 are a series of spaced radial vanes 28' which areslightly inclined to the vertical axis of the impeller with their outerends extending beyond the periphery of the lower plate and their innerends projecting over the end of pipe 12. The vanes 28' are connected tothe lower plate 27 by Welding or other suitable means so that uponrotation of pipe 12, the pipe, impeller and tube are rotated as a unitin the same direction.

In operation, the slurry enters the lateral port 16 of fitting 15 andtravels down the pipe 12 to the impeller 24. Rotation of the impellercauses the material entering the impeller to be thrown by centrifugalforce from the impeller against the walls of the casing and owing to theinclination of the impeller vanes the material is caused to movedownwardly along the walls of the easing. When starting the machinecontrol valve 8 is closed until the pressure in tube 18 forces the finematerial from the slurry to flow through the siphon tube whereupon thecontrol valve 8 is opened to allow the slurry with the course materialto flow into the discharge pipe 9. As long as there is a continuous flowof the slurry through the separator the fine material of the slurry willbe drawn off by the siphon tube thus separating the fines from thecoarse material. Rotation of the impeller and short end of the siphontube continuously agitates the slurry in the casing to insure a constantflow of material through the casing and siphon tube.

It is to be understood that the form of invention herein shown anddescribed is a preferred example of the same and changes in the shape,size and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from thespirit of the invention or scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A centrifugal separator comprising a stationary casing having taperedwalls and a discharge opening at its lower end, a rotatable feed pipehaving its discharge end disposed in the upper end of said casing, asiphon tube having its short end disposed axially of said feed pipe andextending below the discharge end of the feed pipe and an impellerattached to the discharge end of said feed pipe.

2. A centrifugal separator comprising a stationary casing having taperedwalls and a discharge opening at its lower end, a rotatable feed pipehaving its discharge end disposed in the upper end of said casing, asiphon tube having its short end rotatably mounted axially of said feedpipe and extending into said casing, and an impeller mounted on thelower end of said pipe and said tube.

3. A centrifugal separator comprising a stationary casing having taperedwalls and discharge opening at its lower end, a feed pipe having itslower end disposed in the upper end of said casing, 21 siphon tubehaving its short end rotatably mounted axially of said pipe andextending below the lower end of said pipe and a rotatable impeller inthe upper end of said casing above the terminal end of the short end ofsaid siphon tube.

4. A centrifugal separator comprising a stationary casing having taperedwalls and discharge opening at its lower end, a feed pipe having itslower end disposed in the upper end of said casing, a siphon tube havingits short end extending axially of said pipe and extending below thelower end of said fluid pipe and a rotatable impeller mounted in theupper end of said casing at the lower end of said feed pipe havingradial vanes inclined at an angle to the axis of said impeller.

5. A centrifugal separator comprising a stationary casing having taperedwalls and discharge opening at its lower end, a rotatable feed pipehaving its lower end disposed in the upper end of said casing, a siphontube having its short end rotatably mounted axially of said feed pipeand extending into said casing, and an impeller having an upper plateattached to the lower end of said feed pipe and a lower plate attachedto the short end of said siphon tube with a series of angularly disposedvanes between the upper and lower plates and projecting beyond the outerperiphery of the lower plate.

6. A centrifugal separator comprising a stationary casing having taperedwalls and discharge opening at its lower end, a rotatable vertical feedpipe having its discharge end disposed in the upper end of said casin, asiphon tube having its short end rotatably mounted axially of said feedpipe in spaced relation to the walls thereof with its lower endextending below the discharge end of the feed pipe, an impeller at thedischarge end of said feed pipe rotatable about the axis of said pipeadapted to receive the material discharged from said pipe and means forrotating said feed pipe and siphon tube.

7. A centrifugal separator comprising a stationary inverted cone-shapedcasing having a discharge opening at its smaller end, a rotatablevertical feed pipe having its discharge end disposed in the larger endof said casing, an impeller rotatable about the axis of said feed pipeand connected to the discharge end to receive the material dischargedfrom the feed pipe, a siphon tube having its short end rotatably mountedaxially of said feed pipe in spaced relation to the walls of said pipewith its lower end extending through said impeller, and means forrotating said pipe, impeller and tube.

8. A centrifugal separator comprising an inverted cone-shaped casinghaving a discharge opening at its smaller end, a rotatable vertical feedpipe having its discharge end disposed in the larger end of said casing,an impeller having an upper plate provided with a central opening toreceive the discharge end of said feed pipe and a lower plate spacedfrom the upper plate by a series of radially extending vanes, a siphontube having its short end rotatably mounted axially of said feed pipe inspaced relation to the walls of said pipe with its lower end extendingthrough the lower plate of said impeller, and means for rotating saidpipe, impeller and tube.

9. A centrifugal separator as described in claim 8 wherein the lowerplate of said impeller is of less diameter than the upper plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS978,238 Trent Dec. 13, 1910 2,375,826 Scott May 15, 1945 2,648,433Wright Apr. 11, 1953 2,642,991 Davis June 23, 1953 2,701,642 GoodwinFeb. 8, 1955 2,724,503 Fontein Nov. 22, 1955 2,783,887 Chisholm Mar. 5,1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 854,033 Germany Oct. 30, 1952,

